Correlation study between the microstructural abnormalities of medial prefrontal cortex and white matter hyperintensities with mild cognitive impairment patients: A diffusion kurtosis imaging study

Background: Our study aimed to investigate the correlation between the microstructural changes of medial prefrontal cortex (m-PFC) and white matter hyperintensities (WMHs) with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) patients by Diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI). Methods: We retrospectively collected 68 patients, including 47 patients with WMHs and 21 age matched controls. WMHs patients were divided into with MCI (n = 30) and without MCI group (n = 17). The m-PFC was selected for regions of interests (ROIs). DKI parameters were measured and compared between each group. Correlations between DKI parameters and Montreal cognitive assessment (MoCA) score were also performed. Results: 1. Compared to controls, WMHs patients have lower MoCA score; WMHs with MCI patients have significant lower axial kurtosis (AK), mean kurtosis (MK), radial kurtosis (RK) and fractional anisotropy (FA) in right anterior cingulate and paracingulate gyri (ACG) of m-PFC; and also have significant lower MK in left ACG. 2. Compared to WMHs without MCI patients, AK, FA and kurtosis fractional anisotropy (KFA) of WMHs with MCI patients were also significantly decreased. 3. AK were positively correlated with MoCA score in both ACG. Conclusions: Patients with WMHs were related to MCI. DKI sequence has certain application value in evaluating whether WMHs with MCI patients have cognitive function impaired.